


California Bliss

by Bevvverlymarsh



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Elmax is the main ship, F/F, Friends to Lovers, High School AU, Rating may change idk yet, Slight henclair, and they’re visiting California, backgroud byler, they’re 17
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 11:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13409844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bevvverlymarsh/pseuds/Bevvverlymarsh
Summary: Max’s dad invites the whole party(and Steve) to California. Max is excited to see her dad again and show the party around California. She’s also excited to get to know Jane even better. What Jane doesn’t know is Max’s huge crush on her. What Max doesn’t know is that Jane already reciprocates her feelings. Neither knows how to act on those feelings though.ORJust two girls in love in California





	California Bliss

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first fic on AO3! It’s also my first multi-chapter fic. Will it be good? No idea. But I hope. Updates may be a little slow, just a warning. Follow my tumblr, @bevvverlymarsh for updates!

Jane Hopper didn't exactly know much about the world, but she memorized Hawkins, Indiana like the back of her hand. She knew everything there was to know about that place. She was smart and she was careful. She followed the rules, knowing there was no reason to break them. Max Mayfield broke that safe bubble she lived in. Max Mayfield was a force of nature, and she was simultaneously terrified and so intrigued. When Max invited the whole party on a trip back to California, Jane barely knew what to say. She couldn’t leave Hawkins, they all knew that. But Max had the ability to make her a rebel, make her do things she didn’t understand. So she said yes. At 9:00 am the next them they all they all piled into two cars, Dustin, Lucas, and Steve into Steve’s car (Max’s dad had wanted to meet this ‘Steve’ Max kept talking about,) and Mike, Will, Jane, and Max into Max’s car. Mike and Will were asleep by hour one, leaving Max and Jane to talk.  
“I’m glad you decide to come, Jane," Max said after a few minutes of silence. her hair was tied up into a long ponytail and Jane was admiring how the sun made it look like it was on fire.  
"y-yeah. I wouldn't miss it for the world," Jane replied, really meaning what she said. like she said, Max made her feel and do things she never would’ve thought about doing. “What’s California like? I’ve only seen it on a map. I’ve never been out of Hawkins, actually.”  
“Well, California is pretty cool. The people there are a lot different. More accepting, not stuck in the past. There’s not really any winter there; it’s always hot. Um... we can go swimming. Or go to the beach.”  
“That’d be nice. Everyone? Or you and me?”  
“I was thinking more you and me, honestly. I want to get to know you better.”  
Jane nodded. “I would enjoy that.” With that they sat in silence, driving for hours and listening to the radio. Jane would occasionally point out something out the window, and Max would look and laugh. They had mindless conversations, filled with unintentional flirting.  
Mike and Will woke up about 3 hours in when they stopped for lunch. The lunch break was quick, the seven of them getting out of their cars and eating premade lunches from Joyce, Ms. Henderson, Mrs. Wheeler, and Mrs. Sinclair.  
When they were done they got back in the cars and were back on the road. Since everyone in Max’s car was awake, they played typical road trip games, like bingo and I Spy. They exchanged stories and they were laughing the whole time. When it was dark out, they all met up again at a motel.  
“Okay, shitheads, listen up,” Steve ordered. “I’ve booked four rooms and here are your sleeping arrangements: Max and Jane, obviously, Will and Mike, who will have to share a queen sized bed, Lucas and Dustin, and moi, who gets a king sized bed to himself. We leave at 9:00 tomorrow after breakfast. Go get your room keys. We should all be on the same floor.”  
They all ran to the desk, grabbing keys at random. Looking at the room numbers, they split up and went upstairs. Once Max opened the door to the room, she swore. “Jane, I think we have Mike and Will’s key. There’s only one bed....”  
“I can go switch the keys?” Jane suggested.  
“Y-yes. Go do that. Please.”  
Jane left the room and found Mike and Will after only a few minutes. Thankfully, Steve had booked all the rooms on one floor. “We have your key because Max is an idiot. Care to exchange them?” She asked.  
“Yeah. I’d rather share a bed with Will than be stuck in two different beds.” Mike said, winking at Will who turned bright red.  
“Disgusting! Just get Max over here and go to your correct room,” Jane said, oddly flustered. She sat one of the beds and waited anxiously for Max and their bags.  
Max walked in and threw Jane’s bag on her bed. “‘Night, Jane,” she said quietly, before getting into bed. Jane grabbed her bag and changed into her pajamas, getting into bed. “Goodnight, Max.”  
Jane could not sleep. She knew what this feeling was but she didn’t understand. It was love, and she only knew it because that’s what Mike had described his feelings for Will as. They were the same as this. Only, Jane didn’t understand how she felt this for another girl. She knew it was okay for boys to like other boys, but no one said that girls could like other girls. She was scared, to say the least. She couldn’t fall asleep on her own, she needed to be close to someone. “Max?” She asked softly.  
“Yeah?” Came the reply from the other side of the room. Max couldn’t sleep either.  
“Can I uh... get into bed with you? I can’t sleep.”  
“Sure.”  
So Jane walked over to Max’s bed and crawled in beside her. They fell asleep quite quickly after that, limbs entangled. Needless to say, they were both restless sleepers.  
At 8:00 am, Dustin came to wake the girls up. He noticed them both asleep in the same bed but didn’t assume more. “Umm... Jane, Max, it’s time for breakfast. We go back on the road at 9:00.” He said in a loud voice, hoping to wake them up.  
Max sat up quickly, doing her best to pry a sleeping Jane off of her. “We’ll be downstairs in 10...” she mumbled quietly before falling back asleep for five more minutes.  
After those five minutes, both girls gradually woke up. They untangled themselves best as possible, still ending up with Max having to drag Jane off the bed. (It would’ve been carry, but Jane has a good 3 inches on Max.)  
“We have like, five minutes to be packed and downstairs for breakfast. Now, I know that sounds shitty but they have waffles so it’s all good,” Max said, internally bracing herself for Jane’s dramatic groan.  
Jane lived up to Max’s expectation and groaned, but got ready nonetheless. Max locked herself in the bathroom, throwing on a T-shirt and some shorts, not bothering to do anything with her hair.  
Jane had on a nice white blouse and jean shorts, and of course, her black bandana from Kali that she always wore was around her wrist. Her silky loose brown curls were cascading down to to the middle part of her back, her bangs pushed back elegantly with a headband. How Jane looked effortlessly beautiful all the time, Max had no idea. Jane telekinetically tossed Max her suitcase, quickly wiping the drop of blood from her nose with the bandana before it fell on her white blouse. They walked downstairs together, spotting the party sitting at a table. Unsurprisingly, Mike, Will, Dustin, and Lucas were all wearing pajama pants and t-shirts, and Steve hadn’t put much more effort into his appearance either, with his hair not brushed and only in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Jane and Max shared a giggle, knowing the five of them probably wouldn’t ever get dressed if no one forced them too.  
Max grabbed a bagel to eat while Jane took a waffle out of her bag. There was a toaster there that she put the waffle in. Yes- she brought her eggos with her on every trip.  
After they finished they split up to their cars and started driving to California. Max, who was, started talking. “So what we could do is drive straight ‘til 5:00 am tomorrow. We can take turns and then by that time we should be at my house. Something around there. I know Jane doesn’t have her drivers license but we probably won’t get arrested if she drives for an hour or two on one of the more empty streets. I think this is what the other guys are doing.”  
There was a chorus of “Okay” from everyone. So that was the plan. Drive for a really long time and hope for the best.  
The first few hours in the car were completely silent. Jane looked back once to see if Mike and Will were awake and they were not. their seatbelts unbuckled, they were cuddling, completely asleep. Jane laughed, looking back at Max, who's face was bright red.  
"Max, you okay?" Jane asked, concerned.  
Max turned her head swiftly to look at Jane. “Yes. Why do you ask?” She asked stiffly.  
“You’re bright red.”  
“Oh am I? Must be the sun. Sunburn.” Max said awkwardly, forcing a chuckle. She turned back to the steering wheel, speeding up a bit.  
Jane furrowed her eyebrows but didn’t ask anymore questions.  
The rest of their long car ride passed without any issues. They chatted, getting to know each other even more, slept, and drove. When they finally reached Max’s house in California around 5:30 am, Max jumped out of the car, pulling Jane with her. Max knocked on the door excitedly, coming face-to-face with a tall, red headed man who must’ve been Max’s father.  
“Daddy!” Max yelled, hugging him tightly. Her father laughed; his laugh sounded a lot like Max’s.  
“Hi, Maxie,” he said cheerfully.  
He then turned to Jane, saying, “I’m Roger, Max’s father. I’m assuming you’re Jane?”  
“Yes, I am.” Jane said. Her voice was laced with drowsiness and Mr.Mayfield immediately noticed.  
“Steve, Dustin, and Lucas are already here. They’re in the first guest bedroom. Why don’t you two take Max’s old room and the other two boys can take the second guest room?” Mr.Mayfield offered.  
The girls nodded and went to go get Mike and Will and their luggage.  
Max’s room was decorated for a 12 year old, still, despite the fact that they were 17. There was a bunk bed, which Max immediately climbed up on.  
“I’ll take the top bunk and you’ll take the bottom bunk,” Max asked, although it was more of a statement. Jane nodded, and after changing into pajamas, climbed into bed, immediately falling asleep.  
It took Max a little longer to fall asleep, still charged with excitement from seeing her dad again. She mentally planned out everything she would do with the party and made separate lists for what she would do with her dad and Jane. After a few minutes of doing this, Max fell asleep with a smile on her face. Damn, was she looking foreword to this week.


End file.
